issue no. 793

EVERY AUGUST . . .

we take a break from sending this newsletter. It’s a strange thing to ‘take a break’ from doing work that we love so much.

I am frequently reminded - particularly by animals, both domestic and wild - of the importance of ‘doing nothing’ for a while. And when you extend that to human relationships, ‘doing nothing’ together is often the most special, meaningful time that can be spent.

But the more I ponder the experience of ‘doing nothing’, the more I notice how open to interpretation it is. What looks like ‘doing nothing’ to one person, might be - for the person doing the nothing - their most important something.

What one person calls prayer, others call meditation, and still others call paying attention…all of which may look, from the outside, like doing nothing.

In a world where the weight of daily suffering can feel intolerable, no matter how near or far that suffering reaches to your own life, the urgency to ‘do something’ seems to find balance only in the tremendous guilt at the idea of ‘doing nothing.’ It’s right here, at this pain point, where the connectivity that may occur by ‘doing nothing’ - the kind that comes with care, attention, rest, joy, and pleasure - has the potential to counteract the harm that comes from ‘doing something’ out of urgency, guilt, or disconnection.

So much of the work of our lives is figuring out exactly what the something is that you most yearn to spend your time doing. The time you take to connect by ‘doing nothing’ - to pay attention, take a break, contemplate, and care for yourself - might be the space where you figure out what your next something is going to be.

Won’t you join us in seeking out the smallest ways to pay attention, take a break, contemplate, and care for ourselves?

Next week’s newsletter will be our last one until September. Here’s to doing nothing/something,

Dor + Tay

tidbits...

resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we’re reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . .

Do One Small Thing . . . what is one small way you pay attention, take a break, contemplate, or care for yourself? - you can reply to this newsletter, share in the comments, or email us at info@goodfoodjobs.com.

“Integrity [is] being true to the bodies, to the creatures we are, faithful to crafting ordinary lives well.” - Jan Elisabeth

Megan Falley and Andrea Gibson co-created an experience to convey an inexplicable truth: that death does not take someone away from you, but makes them more (omni)present that ever.

Rob Brezny asks a series of short potent questions that might just sit with your soul. (Hap tip to Zivar Amrami for sharing it with me.)

The heart medicine I needed today, courtesy of the ever brilliant artist and human, Mary Oliver.

I continue to be inspired by the magic making at Foxtrot Farm and Flowers - their web of community care extends far beyond regenerative agriculture and shows so much appreciation for community car.

Get your copy of Dorothy’s new book - online, from your favorite local bookstore, by asking your local library to carry it, or requesting it on the Libby app.

View and share this free guide to How to Write a More Equitable Job Post, and stay tuned for new resources to deepen this work.

got a tidbit? drop it here for us and we’ll share it in next week’s newsletter.